Fencing and missile shooting toy

ABSTRACT

A toy fencing sword that is adapted to also fire its blade tip as a missile. The sword&#39;s launchable blade is comprised of a soft yet semi-rigid closed-cell foam material which makes it substantial enough for battering and poking as a sword, yet safe and painless enough to danger during missile-firing. The arrangement of the sword disguises its missile-firing capability from opponents.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a fencing and missile shooting apparatus foruse at play. More specifically, it is a toy sword having a softfoam-covered blade for use in play fencing and having a tubular airpiston within the sword's housing for alternative use in firing theblade's soft foam tubular cover as a projectile. The materials andarrangement of the sword make it particularly well-adapted for safe andpainless play.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Sword components are defined according to well-known terminology, whichwill be used though-out this description. Typically, swords such as thatof the present invention comprise a handle and a blade separated by aguard.

The blade is the elongate portion used to poke or batter an opponentduring battle, and generally has a sharp tip at the sword's forward end.

The handle is the end of the sword grasped by the user during battle,and comprises a hilt portion for grasping by the user's hand andgenerally includes a bulbous pommel at the rearmost tip of the handle toprevent the hand from slipping off the handle.

The guard separates the handle from the blade, prevents the hand fromsliding forward onto the blade, prevents the blade from extending toofar into a sheath during storage, and is often made ornate to improvethe appearance of the sword.

Toy swords and other fencing toys are well known in many forms in theprior art. Numerous varieties of toys swords and other bladed batteringtoys, having soft blades or tips for safety are made and have been madeover the years for use predominantly by children while play fencing orpretend battling.

Additionally, the prior art is filled with missile-shooting toys, suchas toy guns, which use compressed air or the movement of a piston toeject and propel a soft foam missile. The use of a soft foam materialeliminates the pain and hazard of being struck by such a missile, whilethe density and formability of components made of soft foam allows forthe manufacture of missiles that have sufficient flight and trajectorycharacteristics for play without danger.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improvedplay-fencing sword that may also be used as a missile shooting toy,combining the benefits of play battering and missile-shooting in anon-obvious arrangement that disguises the intended next move of thecombatants.

It is another object of the invention to provide a missile-firing toysword which is inexpensive to manufacture and has a simple yet effectivearrangement of components to minimize the expense and effort ofmanufacture and increase reliability.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon areview of the following description and drawings of the invention,including the preferred embodiment thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a toy fencing sword that is adapted toalso fire a portion of its blade as a missile. The launchable portion ofthe blade is made of a soft foam material which is safe and painlessduring play, yet which is dense enough so that, when formed in such anaerodynamic shape as a sword blade, it is able to maintain a stabletrajectory and fly a sufficient distance for acceptable play. Thelaunchable portion of the blade is made preferably of polyethylene (PE)closed cell foam. This closed cell material is soft yet sufficientlyrigid, so that the blade will not cause harm or pain during use, yetwill maintain its shape during flight.

In the preferred embodiment, the sword is comprised of a rigid housinghaving an inner chamber comprised of a hollow cylindrical tube and apiston which slides within the tube to increase or decrease the airvolume within the chamber. Movement of the piston is controlled at thehandle end of the sword by grasping the sword's pommel for convenientactuation by the user during battle. The above-mentioned portion of thesword's blade is a soft foam launchable outer surface.

Controlled movement of the piston relative to the housing and theresulting change of the volume of the inner chamber cause the pulling ofair into and forcing air out of the chamber in a controlled fashion.

During a rearward expansion stroke of the piston, air is inhaled intothe chamber through a one-way intake valve in the pommel.

During a forward compression stroke of the piston that inhaled air isexhausted from the chamber through a hole in the housing which directsthe exhausting air towards the soft launchable blade portion to fire itas a missile from the housing.

The sword's user causes such expansion by simply grasping the pommel andretracting the piston from the housing. That air then exits in a blastthough the opposite end during the opposite compression stroke topneumatically force the blade from the sword as a missile.

The shape and arrangement of the sword's components provide the abilityto actuate the firing of the missile quickly from the normal holdingposition used during fencing, without fore-warning, which furtherenhances the surprise capability of the missile firing function. Theshape and configuration of the toy sword of the present inventiondisguises its missile-shooting capability from opponents who are notthemselves familiar with the sword. The arrangement of themissile-shooting mechanism enables the user to shoot the missile withoutsubstantially repositioning his/her hands from the fencing position tocatch opponents by surprise. The sword's launchable blade is made of asoft foam material, and serves as the missile which may be instantlyfired from the sword.

A more complete understanding of the invention will be realized uponreview of the following description of the preferred embodiment of theinvention and the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a toy fencing sword according to the preferredembodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the sword of FIG. 1 showing the firing ifthe blade as a missile,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional exploded view through the sword of FIG. 1showing the firing if the blade as a missile,

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view through the handle portion ofthe sword of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the air-intake valve of thehandle portion of FIG. 4, showing the intake of air during the expansionstroke of the handle portion,

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the air-intake valve of thehandle portion of FIG. 4, showing the blocking of air outflowthere-through during the compression stroke of the handle portion, and

FIG. 7 is an end view of the handle portion and intake valve of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 though 7,where there is depicted a toy sword 100 for fencing or missile-shooting.

The sword of the present invention comprises a rigid housing 102 whichincludes the guard 104, a rigid blade base 106, and the hilt 108.Specifically, the elongate housing comprises the sword's hilt and thebase of the blade together with the guard, in a rigid and unitaryarrangement, with the hilt 108 and blade base 106 coaxially aligned.

A cylindrical hollow inner chamber 112 is disposed within the housing,extending from the forward end 114 of the base of the blade, back andthrough the rearmost end 116 of the hilt. The rear end of the chamber116, and thus of the hilt, is open, and is adapted to receive piston120, which freely fits within the open end 116 of the hilt and slideslongitudinally within the inner chamber 112 to increase or decrease thevolume of the chamber. The air volume within chamber is thusly increasedas the piston is pulled rearwardly away from the housing during anexpansion stroke and is decreased as the inner housing is pushed backforwardly into the housing during a compression stroke.

The expansion stroke is limited by extension tether 122, which connectsthe piston to the housing in a manner that allows free longitudinalrelative movement between the piston and housing, but which retains thepiston from pulling completely free from the housing. Tether 122 iscomprised of a non-stretchable string, to abruptly deny rearward motionof the piston as it nears the point where continued motion would causeits removal from the housing. Alternatively, tether could be made of anelastic string and could assist to pull the piston back into the housingwhen it has been left accidentally extended.

The compression stroke is limited by contact between the rear most end116 of the hilt and the forward edge 124 of pommel 126 at the rearmostend of the piston, which is too large in diameter to fit into thechamber.

With the piston inserted into chamber 112, the chamber is closed exceptof an air exhaust hole 130, at the forward end 114 of the chamber and anair inlet valve 132 at the rearward pommel end of the piston. The airinlet valve 132 comprises a plurality of holes 134 through the rearwardend 136 of the pommel 126 which allow pneumatic communication betweenchamber 112 and the outer environment, and rubber stopper 140 disposedwithin the pommel which is adapted to move forward and rearward onlongitudinal post 142 and is biased by the flow of air against or awayfrom the plurality of holes 134. Incoming air during the expansionstroke forces the stopper 140 from the holes to allow air intake thoughthe holes, as shown in FIG. 5, but the stopper is forced back againstthe holes by the pressure of air attempting to escape from the chamberto block such communication and any air exhaust passage through theholes during the compression stroke, as shown in FIG. 6.

At the forward-most end of the blade's base is disposed hollow blademounting shaft 150, which receives and positions the removable softblade portion 152 that forms the battering and fencing portion andlaunchable portion of the blade.

The missile-shaped soft blade portion 152 is preferably made ofclosed-cell polyethylene foam to avoid injury and pain during fencing,or when used as a missile which may be launched from the sword. Othermaterials may be substituted for polyethylene foam, such as ethylenevinyl acetate closed-cell foam, neoprene foam, or numerous similarlysoft and sufficiently dense materials. The elongate blade portion 152comprises a hollow base portion 154 which fittingly mates with thehousing's mounting shaft 150, a solid shaft portion 156, and abullet-shaped tip 158.

During normal fencing play, the fitted attachment of the hollow baseportion 154 of soft blade portion 152 onto the mounting shaft 150 issufficiently snug to hold the blade portion 152 onto the housing 102without inadvertent removal, and the skeletal support provided to thesoft blade portion by the rigid mounting shaft 150 is sufficient toallow the user to poke and batter opponents without having the bladecollapse or bend.

The hollow interior 160 of the mounting shaft 150 communicatespneumatically with the air exhaust hole 130 so that air forced fromchamber 112 by the decreasing chamber volume during the compressionstroke of the piston is directed through exhaust hole 130, through themounting shaft 150, and is forced out through launching hole 162 at theforward tip 164 of the mounting shaft in a powerful blast.

During play fencing, the user may at anytime decide to launch the softblade portion as a missile towards an opponent in a surprise attack, asfollows;

First, while holding the hilt 108 with one hand, the user grasps thepommel 126 with the other hand and pulls it rearward as far as thetether 122 will allow. Expansion of the chamber 112 caused by the motionof the piston 120 relative to the housing 102, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4and 5, causes air to be inhaled into the expanding inner chamber 112through the air inlet valve 132. Less preferably, intake holes could bepositioned elsewhere to allow air to enter the expanding chamber duringthe expansion stroke of piston, such as through housing.

Subsequent rapid compression of piston 120 relative to the housing, asshown in FIGS. 1 and 6, causes that air to be exhaled through exhausthole 130, mounting shaft 150 and launching hole 162 in a powerful blast.One-way air inlet valve 132 in the pommel, which allowed air to enterthe chamber during the expansion stroke, now denies exhaust of the airfrom passing out of the chamber 112 though holes 134, to thereby forceall exhausting air to be directed though the launching hole 162 andthereby maximize the intensity of this powerful blast.

The fit of the missile-shaped launchable blade portion 152 to themounting shaft 150, which is sufficiently snug for fencing and batteringplay, is insufficient to retain the blade portion on the shaft againstthe force of the powerful blast, and the blade portion 152 is rapidlyejected from the post as a missile, as shown in FIG. 2.

Because the rearward portion 154 of soft blade portion 152 is hollow formating with mounting shaft 150, it is lighter than the solid forwardportion of the blade portion and the center-of-mass of the missile issubstantially forward of the blade portion 152. The missile is thereforeespecially well-adapted for missile-like trajectory, with hollow rearportion 154 serving basically as a stabilizing tail during flight.

This positioning of the center of mass and the aerodynamic shape of theelongate foam blade with its bullet-shaped tip 158 make it well adaptedfor flight and suited for accurate aiming. During propulsion of tipthrough the air, this arrangement causes the missile to maintain astabile and straight course, without tumbling, curving, or erraticmovement.

One can also readily appreciate that by use of the sword's pommel 126 toactuate the propulsion of the missile and the disguising of the bladeportion 152 as an integral part of the sword, it allows the user tosurprise opponents who may not be aware of the missile-firing functionof sword. In fact, one using the sword in its typical fencing mode andthereby grasping it by the pommel needs only to quickly draw back andforth on the pommel while aiming the sword at the opponent, to fire anunexpected missile. The invention allows the user a surprising optionwhile battling against his/her foes.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the applicable arts that theforegoing is merely one of many possible embodiments of the invention,and that the invention should therefore only be limited according to thefollowing claims.

1. A fencing and missile-shooting toy having a rearward toy end to beheld by a user and a forward toy end to be directed at an opponent andcomprising: an elongate rigid housing comprising a tubular inner airchamber and a tubular blade support shaft having an air passagewaythere-through in communication with said air chamber, said air chamberand said shaft being substantially coaxially aligned, said shaftprojecting coaxial with and longitudinally from said housing towardssaid forward toy end and said shaft having a forward shaft end; a softelongate blade portion adjacent to said forward toy end and comprising aforward blade tip at said forward toy end and a longitudinal body havinga hollow interior rearward portion adapted to fit matingly and removablyover said support shaft, said support shaft providing structural supportto said blade portion and comprising means for removably fixing saidblade portion to said housing such that said blade portion is coaxiallyaligned with said housing and such that said housing and blade portionform a toy sword for play fencing when said blade portion is so fixed tosaid shaft; a piston, longitudinally movable within said air chamber toincrease the air volume in said air chamber when said piston is movedrearwardly and to decrease the air volume therein when said piston ismoved forwardly; said air passage having an air exhaust opening adjacentsaid forward shaft end for directing air from said air chamber forwardlytowards said blade portion such that air displaced by said decreasingair volume of said air chamber during said forward movement of saidpiston is forced from said air chamber through said exhaust opening andat said blade portion to expel said blade portion forwardly from saidblade support shaft and from said sword as a missile from the usertowards the opponent.
 2. The toy of claim 1 further comprising a hiltadjacent said rearward toy end and coaxially aligned with said bladeportion for holding by the user during fencing, said hilt having ahollow interior comprising a rearward portion of said air chamber, andwherein said piston has a rearward piston end comprising a pommel forgrasping by the user for causing said movement of said piston, saidpiston being disposed and movable within said hollow interior of saidhilt.
 3. The toy of claim 2 further comprising a one-way valve forallowing air to enter said air chamber during said rearward movement ofsaid piston.
 4. The toy of claim 3 wherein said one-way valve isdisposed in said pommel.
 5. The toy of claim 4 wherein said one-wayvalve comprises a hole and a hole stopper, said hole stopper adapted touncover said hole and allow the intake of air through said hole intosaid air chamber during said rearward movement of said piston and tocover said hole and deny the exhaust of air through said hole duringsaid forward movement of said piston.
 6. The toy of claim 5 wherein saidsoft elongate blade portion is comprised of a soft foam material.
 7. Thetoy of claim 6 wherein said soft foam material is selected from thegroup comprising closed cell polypropylene foam, closed cell ethylenevinyl acetate foam, and neoprene foam.
 8. The toy of claim 7 whereinsaid soft foam is closed cell polypropylene foam.
 9. The toy of claim 8wherein said longitudinal body of said soft elongate blade portion issolid and heavier than said hollow interior rearward portion so that thecenter of gravity of said blade portion is disposed substantiallytowards the forward tip of said blade portion for providing balance andstability during missile flight.
 10. The toy of claim 9 wherein saidforward blade tip is substantially conically shaped.
 11. A toy swordadapted for play fencing and comprising a hilt and an elongate blade,said hilt adapted to receive a piston being longitudinally movablerelative to said hilt and slidable within an elongate cylindrical airchamber within said hilt, said air chamber being expanded during anexpansion stroke by rearward movement of said piston and beingcompressed during a compression stroke by forward movement of saidpiston, said air chamber having an air outlet adapted to allow the rapidexhaustion of air from said chamber during said compression stroke, saidblade further comprising a removable missile portion disposedlongitudinally transverse from said hilt and adjacent to and incommunication with said air outlet such that air exiting said chamberthrough said compression stroke forces said missile portion from saidsword as a projectile.
 12. The toy sword of claim 11 wherein saidmissile portion is comprised of a soft foam material.
 13. The toy swordof claim 12 wherein said soft foam material is a closed-cell foam. 14.The toy sword of claim 13 wherein said closed-cell foam is selected fromthe group including polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, ethylenevinyl acetate foam, or neoprene foam.
 15. The toy of claim 14 whereinsaid missile portion has a bullet-shaped tip.